


They can't hurt you anymore

by Quicksilvermaid



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Comfort, Drabble, Headcanon, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Nighmares, memories from the war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 06:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15701823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quicksilvermaid/pseuds/Quicksilvermaid
Summary: Eighth year, nightmares and comfort.





	They can't hurt you anymore

**Author's Note:**

> This is more of a drabble than a fic. I'm keeping a bunch of placeholder stories here to expand on later, so I don't lose them on tumblr.
> 
> Jump over and say hi and hound me to write more if you like haha: [@quicksilvermaid](http://quicksilvermaid.tumblr.com)

The first time Harry heard it, he ignored it. He slept so lightly these days, he'd wake for any noise. And it wasn't like it was unusual for one of them to be having nightmares. He shared a room with four other people who'd been through a war - seen and done things that would give any adult pause. 

The second night he woke to the whimpering and the breathy, anguished 'No. No no no. Please no,' he put his glasses on and sat up in the dimly lit room. 

He could see the faintest distortion of air - that shimmer that indicated privacy spells were in place - around Ron, Blaise and Neville's beds. Those three could be screaming their heads off and he wouldn't hear it. His eyes drifted to the bed at the far end of the room. The one he tried to avoid looking at - Malfoy's. 

There was no shimmer, despite the fact that he'd heard the boy putting the spell in place before he pulled his hangings shut. It was Malfoy's nightmare he was hearing. He huffed in annoyance and reached for his wand, sending a muffliato to the end of the room. The sounds cut out abruptly and he lay down, trying to reclaim his sleep. 

After the fifth night in a row of being wakened by Malfoy's nightnares, he pushed himself out of bed and padded on bare feet to the end of the room. He'd gone from annoyed to ... sympathetic. Malfoy was looking progressively more exhausted as each day passed, and he'd overheard Blaise saying Madam Pomfrey had forbidden him the use of dreamless sleep now he was back at school. 

Harry paused a moment, in front of Malfoy's closed bedhangings. His bed always started out the night shimmering softly, but somehow, while he slept, the charm faded away ... almost like his magic was reaching out, stopping him from cutting himself off. 

Harry hesitated at Malfoy's bedside but when the whimpering within - scared and lonely and helpless - started up again he reached out and pushed the hangings aside.

Malfoy was lying on his side, curled into a ball as though trying to protect himself from a blow. His face was drawn and scared, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. From his mouth came a stream of whispered pleas - No. Stop. Don't. Pleasepleaseplease.

Harry reached out and shook his shoulder gently. Malfoy just curled in tighter on himself. Harry shook him again, more firmly this time.  
'Malfoy wake up. You're have a nightmare. Wake up.'

With a cry Malfoy woke, rolling on to his back and pushing up against the headboard, eyes wide and scared. 

Harry held up both hands and spoke softly, 'Hey, hey, calm down. They can't hurt you anymore.'  
Malfoy was breathing hard and it took him a moment to focus on Harry. When he did, Harry could see him take a deep breath and force his normal, expressionless mask back into place. Harry could see the effort it took him, see the fear and anguish that still shone from his eyes despite his best efforts. 

He took a deep breath himself, made a sudden decision and sat on the edge of the bed. Malfoy's eyes went wide and he opened his mouth - to make some protest, Harry was sure.  
'When I have nightmares,' he said quietly, cutting off the other boy's need to push people away. 'It's always about what they've done to other people. I hate how much pain and suffering they've caused.'

Malfoy looked at him, grey eyes shining in the dark of the night. They watched each other for a moment that felt like an age before Malfoy spoke,  
'When I have nightmares, they take it in turns to torture everyone I ever cared about. Except they're more memories than nightmares.' His mouth twisted in a bitter smile. 

'They can't hurt you anymore,' Harry repeated. Malfoy nodded, though Harry could see the memories reflected in his face.  
Harry hesitated then whispered, 'Expecto Patronum.' A silver stag stepped from his wand and sank to its knees beside Malfoy's bed, resting its head on the end. 

Harry ignored Malfoy's shocked look and slid off the bed, moving back towards his own.  
'Try and get some sleep, okay,' he said over his shoulder. 

He was back in his own bed before he heard faint words, whispered through the darkness, 'Thanks Potter.'


End file.
